Conrack

Below I have left a very interesting film from 1974 starring Jon Voight. Stop reading now if you don't want spoilers.

I don't like to use the word, but it simply was a very nice film. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. The protagonist, Pat Conroy, is a man seeking to redeem himself for his racist past, opting to teach the poor black children of the South. His methods, while unorthodox, aim to break the kids out of their struggle and give them ambition for the future. Their headmistress serves as the primary antagonist of the story, believing in obedience and discipline in an unfair world. It's a strange case where neither character is wrong, presenting the real protagonist as those who prohibit and support segration in education and wider society (personified by the Superintendent). However, the story never becomes aggressive, it remains tame with its message, revealing how life is full of beauty, and no one can take that away from you. There are many fond scenes in this film, like the swimming scene or the classroom tussle, but I would like to highlight two.

The first scene being the introduction to Pat Conroy. It is a purposefully slow paced scene, but it does not drag, as it reveals the man we are about to meet through environmental storytelling. We see his mass amounts of pets within his home representing his caring spririt, and we visualise his misplacement in this town as he dresses in standard attire, harshly contrasting to his surroundings. It fortifies the message that in the eyes of contemporary society, he should not be there - but he refused. He resists against the status quo passively, not out of disposition, but out of remorse. Also, his sacrifice is furthered by the fact he lives alone. Most people refused to even travel through black towns at the time, so he, for his beliefs, had to commit to a solitary lifestyle separate from the society he grew up in - a decision he will be glad of for the rest of his life.

Another scene to consider is the first day in the classroom. We see the students stare with their vacant eyes at this strange white man. They lack general knowledge and are often victim to physical punishment, motivating Conroy to protect and uplift rather than just to teach. Every other teacher just 'teached' and that did nothing. He serves as a beacon of hope in a broken society, a pathway to escape, and he is eventually respected and celebrated as the good man he has become.

He is an honest, playful man, much akin to an obvious parallel, Robin Williams in the excellent film "Dead Poet's Society". Both films ultimately antagonise the system, only different parts of the system.

I know I said two, but one more. The final scene of the film is quite a solemn one. Conroy is forced to leave his job, sailing away from his beloved children forever. On the surface, he is losing his job and they are losing just another teacher; but at this point, it is worse. He is losing his purpose, and they are losing their hope. Each face tells the same story - they don't want him to go. Although, his work was not in vain as he instilled hope and ambition into these children, teaching them how the world is what you make of it, and no one can take away that from you, even if he was taken away. The 5th symphony booms as a metaphor for the devil knocking on the door - these children had their saviour taken from them by a higher power, but hope is not lost.

Aside from Conroy himself, the small girl who initially cooks for him and then attends the school is one of my favourite characters. We watch as she grows, symbollised by her willingness to communicate and speak, she goes from quiet to an avid member of the cast, setting up a trajectory we hope can continue into the future without limits.

The children are just like you and me, canvases that are added to by those around us. It is up to the teachers to give us hope and ensure we live the good lives everyone deserves.

I would recommend you watch the film, it is excellent and certainly worth your time. Unlike most films nowadays, it has a vision and it executes it with precision, refusing to deviate and move the plot at an unnatural pace (I'm looking at you modern blockbusters).

Enjoy the film, and remember to gather your rosebuds while you may.

Also, I read a quote from the most recent Jacob Geller video and it is really good: "Be sure to give them their flowers before they wither and die" - just amazing. It reminds me of the short story baby shoes, here it is: "Baby shoes. For sale. Never worn."

Anyway, have a nice day, and enjoy Conrack - oh wait, the title represents how the children matter to him most, shaping his identity and changing him just as much as he changed them.

"He'll fustigate ya" - Moe Szyslak

Two more notes:

• The film is based off a true story.
• All of the children's names are their real names, which is a nice touch.